Flush tank valve



Nov. 4, 1947. P, W L Y 2,430,152

FLUSH TANK VALVE Filed Feb. 7, 1944 I INVENTOR. Raid/7d 1? M/ey A TTOF VE).

Patented Nov. 4, 1947 L UNITED STATES PATENT orrics 2 Claims.

This invention relates to flush tank valves of the character wherein isemployed float ball actuated structure for controlling the flow of water into the tank, and the primary object is the provision of an improved valve of such character.

One of theimp'ortantaims of this invention is the provision of a flush tank valve having as a part thereof, a. uniquely designed and disposedvalve seat and head; both ofwhich are confined within ahoo'd', carried by thefloat ball actuated structure and shrouding the upper end of the water. supply pipe.

A. still further object" of this invention is to provide a flush tankvalve having means for directing the how of. water from the supply pipe through downward paths of: travel topreventobjectionable spraying and possible escape of the water from the tank.

Further objects of the: invention include the manner? in which the: above mentioned. hood and associated parts may be ad'justably maintained above the water. level; the employment of parts Within the flush valve that eliminate the. noses sity for using conventional hush tub-es; and the provision of valve parts having're'adily accessible and renewable valveiseat's and heads that may be adjusted or replaced with a minimum amount of time and effort.

Other objects of the invention, setting forth the manner of forming the elements of the improved flush tank valve and the materials from which the parts are preferably created, will appear during the course of the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is aside elevational view of a fluslr tank valve removed from the operative position in the tank and: having parts broken away for clearness, which valve embodies the: present; invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical central sectional view through the upper portion of the Hush tank valve; and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 1.

Present day shortages of critical materials, such as copper and brass, and the desirability of ernploying plastics in the construction of elements such as form a part of the flush tank valve illustrated, dictates that certain of the following identified elements be made of moldable, corrosion resisting substance and less critical metals.

The valve illustrated and about to be described is desirable in that it is particularly adapted to the use of the materials just mentioned.

In the drawing the flush tankper se is not illustrated; but thefittings broadly' designated bythe numeral 4 by'means of which the-valve may be mounted, are shown on normally vertical pipe- 6, the-end portions whereof are screwt'hread'ed asat 8: and ill respectively.

Fittings 4- a-re ad'justablyconnected to pipeii by threads if and support l=2* is likewise carried at the upper end of" pipe 6 through the mediumof' threads lili S'etscrew- F4 issupplied to-maint'ain support Win the adjusted position.

Support i2 is substantially U-shaped and its legs Wand til respectivel'y are bifurcated at'their upper free ends to'formyokes 28 and 2=Z"res-peo-- ti'vel'y. Arm z' i has one endthereof 'pivotally's-um ported byyoke 22 as at 23 and extends transverse'l'y across support #2 to' yoke 28 to a pivotal connection with one end of link 39; This short link. has its other end pivotally joined as at 32? to fulcrumed on yoke 23 through the medium of a: transverse pin 35? The end of arm 34 opposite to that connected to link 39 carries: float rod: 38 upon which is: mounted the conventional float b'a'll not here shown.

The upper end. of pipe.- 6? carries a notched head 46 having a form shown in Fig. 2, and generally; frusto-coni'cal. in. shape. This head is in screw-threaded engagement with pipe and" has a: borezliz in alignment: with. pipe 6 to permit: free. flow of: water..

A series of" guide? lugs 44: extending radially from. head: 49;. are created; througlu the formation: of: a number of" longitudinal. notches. 46. This head at is disposed within hood 48, preferrably formedof plastic and-having: the cross sec .tional' contour illustrated in Fig. 2:. A gasket- 5% carried within hood; 4%,, lies. against? the inn-ere most or bottom face thereof: to rest upon the upper end of head: 4-8: when the valve is closed; The inside diameter of socket. 52- is; substantially the same as the outside diameter of. head: 4.0 where lugs and notches 44 and 45 respectively, are provided.

The length of that portion of bore 52, which houses the larger section of head 40, is greater than the length of lugs or notches 44 and 46 respectively, and therefore, as longitudinal reciprocation of hood 48 occurs, the outer faces of guide lugs 44 will slidingly engage the inner face of hood 48 forming bore 52 to prevent lateral displacement. This guidance'may take place as water is passing from the bore 42 of head 4|] because the notches allow the water to escape from within the hood.

A laterally projecting duct 54 in hood 48 joins bore 52 above the enlarged portion of head 40 and i in connection with tube 56 which extends to the conventional overflow pipe of the flush tank assembly, as is well-known in the art.

Tube 56 is in screw-threaded connection with hood 48 and may be renewed if necessary. Gasket 50 is formed of some pliable material and effectively seals the upper end of bore 42 when the valve mechanism is closed.

A loop 58 mounted upon the top of hood 48, has a stem 60 in screw-threaded engagement with a socket provided in hood 48. Loop 58 receives arm '24 and arm 34 rests upon the top of loop 58, all as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, as float rod 38 is raised from the position illustrated in Fig. 1, arm 24 moves in the direction of the arrow shown in. Fi 1 to drop gasket 50 to its seated position upon the upper end of head 40. Water will thereupon cease to flow from pipe 6 through head 40 into hood 48, from where it had been flowing therefrom in a downward direction through notches 46. No radial spraying or other objectionable flow of water can occur.

The operation of the flush tank valve is clear from the foregoing specification, and it will be apparent that as water passes downwardly from within hood 48, that portion of the interior of the hood above the larger part of head 48, will be maintained filled with water under a slight pressure, sufllcient to supplyduct 54 and tube 56.

, All of the float valve actuated structure is carried by support 12 and any mal-adjustment between gasket 50 and the endof head 40 may be overcome by moving support 12 along pipe 6 and installation is facilitated through the employment of the parts in their aforesaid relation. Renewal of gasket 50 is an exceedingly easy matter for the hood 48 may be removed simply by manipulating pivot pins 26 and 3B.

The water line in the tank is always below the bottom of hood 48 for the purpose of maintaining a permanent vacuum breaker. This level is controlled by the float ball and the angularity of rod 38.

Critical materials are reduced to a minimum in the valve assembly. Pipe 6 is a conventional galvanized iron conduit; support 12 and hood 48 are molded from plastic material; and gasket 50 is of synthetic rubber or the like. Only parts 40, B, 24, 38 and 34 are made of brass, resulting in the use of but four ounces of this critical material.

From the above it will be clear that not only is the flush tank valve unique and novel in its physical characteristics, but that the substances from which it is made are readily available and capable of meeting the demands of the use to which they are put.

Having thus described the invention, what is 4 claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a flush tank valve, a pipe having means for connecting one end thereof with a source of water supply and having its other end open; a support in screw-threaded engagement with the pipe adjacent to its upper end whereby the support may be shifted axially of the pipe; a hood shrouding the said open end of the pipe; a gasket on the innermost Wall of the hood; a head having a bore therethrough on the open end of the pipe, Within the hood for cooperating with the gasket to control the flow of water from the pipe; said head being smaller in outside diameter than the inside diameter of the hood; laterally extending guide lugs onthe head in sliding engagement with the inner face of the hood to prevent lateral displacement thereof; and float ball actuated structure on the support and having connection to the hood for shifting the same to and from a position where the gasket is closing the bore through said head.

2. In a flush tank valve, a pipe having means for connecting one end thereof at its lower end with a source of water supply and having its other end open; a support in screw-threaded engagement with the pipe at a point spaced downwardly from the upper end thereof, whereby the support may be shifted axially of the pipe by turning the same about the axis of the pipe; an inverted cup-shaped hood shrouding the open end of the pipe and telescoping the open-end portion of the pipe; a gasket on the innermost Wall of the hood; a substantially frusto-conical head, having a bore threthrough, on the open end of the pipe within the hood and cooperating with the gasket to control the flow of water from the pipe; longitudinal notches in the base of the said hood; and float-ball actuated structure on the support for shifting the hood toward and from the inner end of the head, the outside diameter of the frusto-conical head at its base be-- ing substantially the same as the inside diameter of the head, said head being in screw-threaded engagement with the pipe.

ROLLAND P. WILEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATE'IITS Hill Feb. 18, 1919 Demilt Aug. 19, 1919 Utley Nov. 9,1926 Melio Dec. 29, 1931 McPartland Dec. 29, 1931 Moseley Jan. 23,1912

Richardson July 29, 1919' 

